Yellow and white cakes

[Trishiad]

Katie Katie Kate, I knew someone would love me enough to claim that they had a wonderful recipe. Bombashabomb it is! Thanks and love back attcha.

Mignardise, I used that epicurious recipe last year in my son's birthday cake. It was a nice yellow cake but because it was layered with a devil's food (request of the 4 year old) I noticed that it was a bit dense and bland. Still good, but not fabulous.

[reenicake]

For yellow cake, I love Toba's recipe especially when it is very fresh right out of the oven. But it stores very well too, becoming a bit more feathery.

I also like the proportions of Rose Levy Beranbaum's Moist Yellow Cake, but I tend to use the creaming method to mix because it holds together better for me (rather than the hi-ratio method she employs). I also use a yolk-whole egg combo, but same volume.

Tend to agree though, it is very subjective because we all have different ideas of what makes the perfect cake... both what we are used to eating and what we need for certain uses.

I have a special place in my heart for chiffon cakes, for example, but most French people wouldn't go near one. I make them in all kinds of different shapes, and fill and frost and layer, but most American cooks wouldn't dream of anything but a tube pan.

[CaliPoutine]

Not sure if this really counts as a yellow or white cake, but I recently made Nigella Lawson's buttermilk cupcakes and I really enjoyed them. Very tender with a subtle flavor.

[shaloop]

I have a special place in my heart for chiffon cakes, for example, but most French people wouldn't go near one. I make them in all kinds of different shapes, and fill and frost and layer, but most American cooks wouldn't dream of anything but a tube pan.

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Do you have a particular recipe for the chiffon cake that you make as layer cakes? I'd like to use chiffon layers for cream filled or fruit filled cakes but want to make sure I have proportions right. Do you grease and flour the pans? Do you use water or milk, etc? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Dailey]

i just made "white-on-white buttermilk cake" by the Pastry Queen and it was the best white cake i have tried so far, and i've tried many. the cake is heavy due to all the butter and buttermilk, its not as light as RBL's white velvet or CI white cake BUT the flavor is amazing. its very sweet, which i usually don't like, but it worked for this cake. plus, its so moist. its one of those cakes where even though you're full you keep going back for just "a little taste".

[Trishiad]

Well, I made a cake for my man on his day. Wearing an apron and everything, I'm SO Donna Reed.

I forgot to grab sour cream at the market so I couldn't make Kate's bombshabomb cake. Instead I made the yellow cake suggested by Ruth:

8oz butter

2 cups sugar

6 yolks

1 1/2 t vanilla

3 1/2 cups cake flour

1 T + 1/2 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

1 1/2 cups milk

It was nice. Nice crumb, not too moist and not at all dry. Very sweet though. It actually had sort of a sugary crust. Tasty, very sweet. Held up well for a couple of days.

[iii_bake]

Dear Wendy,

I like The Best yellow Cake ever from Great Cake by Carole Walter, The crumb is very moist n tender.

And for Flo Braker's..i got very good result with both the butter and the buttermilk, actually especially the buttermilk...it almost melts in the mouth.

Also, one thing i would like to ask anyone who used to bake Flo's..

Does the cake shrink so much?

iii

[RuthWells]

Well, I made a cake for my man on his day.  Wearing an apron and everything, I'm SO Donna Reed.

I forgot to grab sour cream at the market so I couldn't make Kate's bombshabomb cake.  Instead I made the yellow cake suggested by Ruth:

8oz butter

2 cups sugar

6 yolks

1 1/2 t vanilla

3 1/2 cups cake flour

1 T + 1/2 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

1 1/2 cups milk

It was nice.  Nice crumb, not too moist and not at all dry.  Very sweet though.  It actually had sort of a sugary crust.  Tasty, very sweet.  Held up well for a couple of days.

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Is this this one from Whimsical Bakehouse that I posted some time ago? It is a bit sweet, but I like the crumb a LOT.

[Dailey]

Dear Wendy,

I like The Best yellow Cake ever from Great Cake by Carole Walter, The crumb is very moist n tender.

And for Flo Braker's..i got very good result with both the butter and the buttermilk, actually especially the buttermilk...it almost melts in the mouth.

Also, one thing i would like to ask anyone who used to bake Flo's..

Does the cake shrink so much?

iii 

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are you referring to "the baker's dozen" book? i have that book on hold at the library and recall flo braker being one of the authors...i think. thanks

[iii_bake]

Dear Wendy,

I like The Best yellow Cake ever from Great Cake by Carole Walter, The crumb is very moist n tender.

And for Flo Braker's..i got very good result with both the butter and the buttermilk, actually especially the buttermilk...it almost melts in the mouth.

Also, one thing i would like to ask anyone who used to bake Flo's..

Does the cake shrink so much?

iii 

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are you referring to "the baker's dozen" book? i have that book on hold at the library and recall flo braker being one of the authors...i think. thanks

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It's "the simple art of PERFECT BAKING"...The buttermilk version is really good...

I will post the recipe if you need.

[iii_bake]

are you referring to "the baker's dozen" book?  i have that book on hold at the library and recall flo braker being one of the authors...i think.  thanks

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Here it is:

buttermilk cake

Sifted Cake Flour 2 1/2 C ( 250 grams)

Baking Powder 1 1/2 t

Baking Soda 1/2 t

Salt 1/4 t

Eggs 3 ( beaten lightly)

Buttermilk 1 C

Vanilla 1 t

unsalted butter 1 1/2 stick ( 6 Ounces)

granulated sugar 1 1/2 C

Cream the butter (with paddle) speed 5...30-45 secs.

add sugar in stream, continue creaming for 4 -5 minutes until light n fluffy

pour in egg while the machine is running, spoon by spoon..continue to cream until fluffy like whipped cream ( 3 -4 minutes)

Add flour in alternate with buttermilk.

Flo recommends spiral hand mixing when adding flour and milk by

starting stirring in the middle and form a wider spiral.. the batter will start to incorporate the flour or the milk as you go...then work back in the same manner to the middle.

This is baked in TWO 8 inch pans at 350F.

Grease and flour pan generously!

Please let me know how it is.

Ciao,

iii

[reenicake]

I have a special place in my heart for chiffon cakes, for example, but most French people wouldn't go near one. I make them in all kinds of different shapes, and fill and frost and layer, but most American cooks wouldn't dream of anything but a tube pan.

←

Do you have a particular recipe for the chiffon cake that you make as layer cakes? I'd like to use chiffon layers for cream filled or fruit filled cakes but want to make sure I have proportions right. Do you grease and flour the pans? Do you use water or milk, etc? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

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Hi, sorry to not get back to you sooner. I use one that I sort of adapted from Joy of Cooking for a mocha chiffon, and for orange and lemon I use the one from Wayne Gisslen's Professional Baking, with adjustments in the sugar because I like to use more juice than water... I'll also post this on the Chiffon cake thread.

[Darcie B]

I decided to take a stab at the white cake issue since I am doing a friend's wedding cake next weekend. In the past, I mainly used butter cake recipes, but they got too firm when refrigerated (although people still liked them better than the boxed cakes).

I decided that I would substitute some of the butter in a standard white cake recipe with vegetable oil to see if that would help. Based on results posted in this thread and other sites, I chose the Cook's Illustrated basic White Layer Cake recipe to adapt. The only changes I made were to replace the almond extract with vanilla, and replace 1/3 of the butter with oil. This cake was a delight! I froze it immediately out of the oven and then thawed it to see what the texture would be like, and it was lovely. It was not at all dense, had some spring to it, and the crumb was very fine. It cut like a dream, too. The flavor was very good, in fact, my husband and I inhaled the test pieces - and I don't even really like cake! I am so excited; I thought I was going to have to resort to a boxed mix to get the texture I was after.

[CanadianBakin']

I finally tried the Whimsical Bakehouse Golden Butter Cake and it's definitely going to be my go to yellow cake. I'm so thrilled to finally find one that I'm happy with. CI is good too but I really like WB best.

Edited December 24, 2006 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[persiancook]

Is a particular type of white cake more suitable for cupcakes? I would like them to be the melt-in-your-mouth variety.

ETA: I have read the cupcake thread, but am still unsure.

Edited February 11, 2007 by persiancook (log)

[Desiderio]

I am going to make several things for a graduation party this Sunday.

I work till saturday so the only time I have to make preparation is in the evening.Many things i need to make them fresh , but I can make some stuff ahead.

I am making some lemon poppy seed cakes with raspberry filling ,I am using a white cake form baking illustrated .Now can I refrigerated the unfilled unfrosted cakes for a couple of days, so I can get myself some time?

Thank you

Edited May 31, 2007 by Desiderio (log)

[sugarseattle]

even though its only a couple of days, you might have better luck freezing the layers. just double wrap them in cello and freeze away. you might even torte them before freezing because then you can just frost them frozen. I know purists think you can't frost a frozen cake, but I've never had a problem with weeping.

[Desiderio]

Thank you ( sorry for the deley ) I did froze the lemon poppy seed white cakes and they turned pretty nice , that cake stay moist even in the freezer.I am off to delivery the ton of food , fruit tarts and cakes I made for the graduation party, one thing learned , I will never accept again a task like this , while I have to work ,I am exusted

[ChocoChris]

Hi All,

I'm fairly certain that this topic has come up before but I couldn't find a relevant thread by searching the forum. I have a cake order for vanilla cake/strawberry filling/vanilla buttercream. For the strawberry filling I am making a mousse. The person said that they want the cake to be moist. Does anyone have a fav recipe to achieve this? Is the only way to ensure moistness to use a simple syrup on the layers?

Thanks and sorry if this question is repetitious.

Chris

[jumanggy]

Hi Chris,

Claire describes Cook's Illustrated yellow cake as moist, so you may want to look into it.

[Tri2Cook]

I'm not really a cake experimenter. Cake just isn't generally one of my favorite desserts except for the heavy, dense types that aren't what people usually want. For that reason, most of the cake recipes I use when making cakes for others come straight out of The Cake Bible. I'm sure that book isn't the complete gospel on the subject but it hasn't steered me wrong so far. The experimenting (which is something I usually enjoy but not so much when it comes to cake) has already been done for me. I pretty much always syrup my cakes. For strawberry cakes I use the strawberry sauce from the same book thinned with simple syrup to moisten the cake. I haven't found a recipe that produces that cake mix texture that most people seem to equate with "good cake" but a little syrup helps steer them in that direction and with a little creative addition to the syrup it can boost the flavor as well.

[CanadianBakin']

I've been really happy with the Golden Butter Cake from the Whimsical Bakehouse. I've tested a number of yellow cakes and this is as close as I've come to a moist yellow cake-mix type cake. Tri2Cook's idea of strawberry sauce thinned with simple syrup sounds good. If you choose to make this cake I would wait till you sliced it open to see what you think. If it looked pretty moist already I'd be tempted just to add a layer of good strawberry jam underneath the mousse layer.

[sanrensho]

I have a cake order for vanilla cake/strawberry filling/vanilla buttercream. For the strawberry filling I am making a mousse. The person said that they want the cake to be moist. Does anyone have a fav recipe to achieve this? Is the only way to ensure moistness to use a simple syrup on the layers?

If you're not stuck on a yellow/white (butter) cake, then you might want to consider a chiffon cake. (I use the ones from Cake Bible.) This will give you a very moist cake layer without using simple syrup. Also pairs well with a mousse, although there are many different types of mousse.

[CaliPoutine]

Hi All,

I'm fairly certain that this topic has come up before but I couldn't find a relevant thread by searching the forum. I have a cake order for vanilla cake/strawberry filling/vanilla buttercream. For the strawberry filling I am making a mousse. The person said that they want the cake to be moist. Does anyone have a fav recipe to achieve this? Is the only way to ensure moistness to use a simple syrup on the layers?

Thanks and sorry if this question is repetitious.

Chris

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Have you looked at the Strawberry cream cake from Cooks'? It has a strawberry filling and a yellow cake.

PM me if you want the recipe.

[iii_bake]

My favourite is Flo Braker's buttermilk Cake. It is moist almost melt in the mouth.

If u need the recipe, pls let me know.

iii